More has probably been written on the events surrounding the Montreal Screwjob than any other story in professional wrestling. There are still plenty of people convinced that the whole thing was a work, designed to add drama to a fairly ordinary story of an employee leaving a company to join their rivals. Lets just say that I dont think that Bret Hart has the imagination or the patience to continue keeping up the pretence for this long, and leave it at that. The Screwjob was a real thing, people. But as much as it was riveting in terms of backstage gossip, it was the absolute worst in terms of keeping the focus on the product and on the WWF Champion. McMahon managed to make the only WWF story anyone cared about for weeks the story of the man whod just left the company to join the competition. He might as well have broadcast the channel you can find Nitro on in big flashing letters during the finale to 1997s Survivor Series. But it did have one redeeming feature that was - whats the phrase? Best for business. After the Screwjob, Vince found it impossible to keep his head down and resume his announcer duties as though nothing had happened. Without intending to at the time, hed delivered one of the industrys most important heel turns. The Montreal Screwjob was the conception of the Mr. McMahon character in the eyes of the WWF audience, and the Mr. McMahon character would be instrumental in bringing about the Attitude Era, which saw WWF rating eclipse those of WCW Nitro and change wrestling history. Vince might have screwed Bret, but he (and his company) was the real long-term winner.
Professional writer, punk werewolf and nesting place for starfish. Obsessed with squid, spirals and story. I publish short weird fiction online at desincarne.com, and tweet nonsense under the name Jack The Bodiless. You can follow me all you like, just don't touch my stuff.